The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-07-09
'HAN fHORNE ND P.EHlE.

Nathaniel Hawthorne's dedication
in 1868, of his charming English
sketches, "Our Old Home," to Frank
lin Pierce, who, during his term as
president, had taken strong grounds
against the abolition programme, and
subsequently,, after the beginning Of
the civil war, made speech express
ing disapproval OF coercion, subjected
the author of the Marble Faun to much
abuse by the northern public, and
much pressure was brought to bear by
relatives and friends to induce him to
popular auspices. Hawthorne refused,
however, and published the book with
the dedication intact
Il dedicate my book" said the
sturdy literateur. "to the friend, and
shall defer a collcquy With the states
man till some calmer and SUMMER
hour. Only this let me say, that with
the record OF your life in my memory,
and with sense Of your character in
my deeper consciousness, l need no
assurance that you continue faithful
forever to that grand idea of an irrevo-
cable union which, as you once told
me, was the earliest that your brave
father taught you"
The author, like the ex.prt sident.
was faithful to the idea of an irrevoca-
BILE union, but it is shown in letter,
now for the first time given to the
public, that the union had in view by
both was union made irrevocable by
the faithful observance, on the part of
all the parties to the federal compact,
of the obligation assumed by the
states to respect each others rights as
defined by the letter of the constitution.
Union outside the constitution was
disunion, it sc ems, in Mr.. Hawthorne's
opinion.
The letter here deferred TO, written
at Wayside, July 20, 1888, gives in
confidence his Impressions both as to
the noise made by the dedication and
as to the nature Of the contest then in
progress. The author did not appre-
hend "momentous political consequent
ces" from the publication Of the dedi-
cation. 1t had long been determined
on and was ga memorial of a lifelong
intiinacy.' AS for the charge made
against the eX-president by 'rhe adj
ministration and abolition papers" that
he was a traitor, Mr.. Hawthorne ex-
claims, "Why, he is the only loyal
man iu the country, north or south.
Everybody else has uutgrown the old
faith in the union, or got outside Of it
in ono way or another"
With regard to the war, he says 81
always thought that it should have
been avoided, although since it has
broken out have longed for military
success as much as any man or woman
in the north" What the war was TO
effect might have been accomplished
by ga gradual and peaceful change"
A reaction was thought still possible
and din that case, woe TO the abolition
lists J" More practicable, in Mr.. Haw
thorne's view, was a separation and
division of territory between the sec
tiops.
"You cannot conceive" he says to
his correspondent, show little the
north really cares for the negro ques-
tiop, and how eagerly it would grasp al
peace if recommended by de!usive
show of victory" And within three
weeks after the so-called "dccisive
victory" at Gettysburg and the more
real success at NIcksburg, this impair
tial observer of events says: Gree
now" 'Do you suppose he ssks,
s'that the pendulum is not to swing
back again?'
After all that had tkru place, how
ever, Hawthorne was resigned to the
revolution events were shaping. 81
am very often sensible OF an Affection
ate regard for the dear old union,
though had as lief see my grandfa-
theirs ghost as have it revive" He
had taken leave of the past. 81 do
not care IA fig" he explains, ''what
powers the president assumes If only
he uses them cf1ectually, but l must
say that | despi5e the present admins.
traiion with all my heart" But the
war aside, he would defend Mr.. Pierce
as ga noble character" who could not
admit "any ideas that were not enicr-